Category Archives: Eating

Chomp it up.

Eating

Spicy Sunday


Kung Pao!
Originally uploaded by nichole_e.

I’ve had a “Cook’s Illustrated” recipe for Kung Pao Shrimp in my to-try file for almost a year now. I’ve become a bit of a P.F. Chang’s addict in the last several months, so I thought it would be a good time to give it a try.

I’m happy to say that it was delicious. It had a nice heat without being fiery, and the flavor was almost spot-on with what I expect Kung Pao to be. I think it might have been perfect if I hadn’t forgotten to get ginger today; I mixed ginger powder in with the cornstarch, but I don’t think it was an adequate fix. I didn’t have any dried chiles, either, but I’m not sure that they would add all that much to the dish. They would be nice for aesthetics, though.

Kung Pao Shrimp
from Cook’s Illustrated
Serves 4
1 pound extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 count), peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon dry sherry or rice wine
2 teaspoons soy sauce
3 medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced
(about 1 tablespoon)
1/2-inch piece fresh ginger , peeled and minced (about 2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
6 small whole dried red chiles (each about 1 3/4 to 2 inches long), 3
chiles roughly crumbled, or 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons black rice vinegar or plain rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 medium red bell pepper , cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 medium scallions , sliced thin

1. Toss shrimp with sherry and soy sauce in medium bowl; marinate until shrimp have absorbed flavors, about 10 minutes. Mix garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon oil in small bowl; set aside. Combine peanuts and chiles in small bowl; set aside. Mix chicken broth, vinegar, sesame oil, oyster-flavored sauce, hoisin sauce, and cornstarch in small bowl or measuring cup; set aside.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add shrimp and cook, stirring about once every 10 seconds, until barely opaque, 30 to 40 seconds; add peanuts and
chiles, stir into shrimp, and continue cooking until shrimp are almost completely opaque and peanuts have darkened slightly, 30 to 40 seconds longer. Transfer shrimp, peanuts, and chiles to bowl; set
aside. Return skillet to burner and reheat briefly, 15 to 30 seconds. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, swirl to coat pan, and add red bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 45
seconds. Clear center of pan, add garlic-ginger mixture, mash into pan with spoon or spatula, and cook until fragrant, 10 to 15 seconds; stir into peppers until combined. Stir broth mixture to recombine, then add to skillet along with reserved shrimp, peanuts, and chiles; cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan, until sauce has thickened to syrupy consistency, about 45 seconds. Stir in scallions; transfer to serving plate and serve immediately.

Eating

A whole lotta food

When Rockford and I were newlyweds, my dinnertime culinary repertoire consisted of the following:

  • Many thrilling varieties of Chicken Voila
  • Grilled chicken (George Foreman style)
  • An exciting array of Rice-a-Roni rices
  • Macaroni and cheese sometimes with frozen broccoli

I’m sure it was a shocking blow to Rockford. His mother is a terrific cook, and he grew up eating a fresh, home-cooked meal almost every night. He really shouldn’t have been too surprised, though, considering the first meal I made for him. It was a chicken and broccoli disaster. He and my brother did their best to pretend it was edible, but I knew better. Because I have tastebuds, too.

I think my cooking skills have improved. At the very least, I no longer rely exclusively on boxed or frozen goods when it’s time for dinner. I like to cook. And I generally have plenty of time to cook, too. But it’s nice sometimes just to pull something out of the freezer and, Voila!, it’s dinner.

A few months before Poppy was born, I decided to try a once-a-month-cooking plan. The idea, as the name suggests, is that you cook once and then have meals in your freezer for quick, easy and delicious dinners all month long.

So I bought tons of ground beef and chicken and seasonings and onions (oh, so many onions), and I followed one of the plans outlined in a popular book that shall remain nameless. And I did fill the freezer with homemade meals, but it would be a stretch to call them “delicious.” Most of them were, at least, edible. But it put me off the OAMC movement.

It was nice to have ready-to-go food in the freezer, though.

This is all to say that I’ve tried it again. Sort of. I don’t have the freezer space now that I had then, so I couldn’t do the OAMC thing, gross recipes or not. But then I found the “Once-a-Week Cooking Plan” cookbook. Rockford took Poppy out for a few hours this morning, and now, in the freezer, we have:

  • 1 Cheesehead Chipotle Frittata
  • 4 Chicken Papaya Quesadillas
  • 2 pieces of Macadamia-Crusted Chicken
  • 1 Mexican Chicken Lasagna
  • and the makings for 1 Pesto Pepper Chicken Pizza

The only trouble I had with this more manageable plan was the “quick cooling.” I was able to use the sink (filled with ice water) to quick-cool some of the meals, but the frittata wouldn’t fit in the sink. Good thing Rockford was back by then. It never would have occurred to me to cool the dishes in the bathtub.

. . . . . the end . . . . .

Eating, Screen time

Date night

Grandma and Grandpa stayed home last night with Poppy so Rockford and I could go out for dinner and a movie. It was the best date we’ve had in a long time. In fact, I think it was the only date we’ve had in a long time. We went to Maggiano’s and had a wonderful meal (Veal & Mushroom Ravioli for me, and Chicken Marsala for Rockford, and fabulous little chocolate truffles “on the house”!), and then we went to see “Stranger Than Fiction” (made me cry). The movie wasn’t until 10:10, so we lingered over dinner and talked and talked, and it was just lovely.